Israel told Secretary-General U Thant today that its policy in the occupied territories “is to ensure normal life and development for the inhabitants.” Ambassador Yosef Tekoah, in his first formal action since presentation of his credentials last Friday, assured the Secretary-General that Israeli authorities “will take all necessary measures to protect the lives and property of the population against any illegal activities, including acts of terrorism, wherever threatened or committed.”
Mr. Tekoah’s communication to the Secretary General was in reply to charges against Israel made Friday by Egypt and circulated at Egypt’s request to all members of the Security Council and General Assembly. The Egyptians had charged that Israeli forces in the occupied areas were carrying out “military operations” aimed at “intimidating, terrifying and coercing the civilian population” to force them to flee or to accept “foreign occupation.”
In his reply, Ambassador Tekoah charged that the purpose of the Egyptian letter was purely propaganda. He told the Secretary General that “bearing in mind that Arab Governments, including that of the United Arab Republic, persist in fostering and encouraging belligerent incursions and sabotage acts in violation of their cease fire obligations, it is a matter of surprise that public complaint is now being made of the fact that Israel is taking normal measures to protect life and property and to maintain public order.”
Ambassador Tekoah stressed that the Israeli actions were “in pursuance of their duty to insure the safety, welfare and security of the population of the area concerned.” He expressed regrets that “instead of seeking avenues toward peace, the United Arab Republic continues on its own course of belligerency and hostile propaganda.”
Observers here noted the coincidence in the timing of the Egyptian complaint and the meeting in Cairo of Arab guerilla organizations and expressed the belief that the Egyptian letter was probably the opening gun in a new war of words by the Arabs in the United Nations.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
